used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
Amesville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
react verbally
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “John Logan Hall?” asked Tom then, glancing up.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
blottedverbUS /ˈblɑːtəd/
inflected form of “blot” — dry (ink) with blotting paper
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
ConounUS /koʊ/
an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
counternounUS /ˈkaʊntər/
table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
CummingsnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋz/
United States writer noted for his typographically eccentric poetry (1894-1962)
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
customersnounUS /ˈkʌstəmərz/
plural of “customer” — someone who pays for goods or services
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
make void or empty of contents
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
envelopenounUS /ˈenvəloʊp/
a flat (usually rectangular) container for a letter, thin package, etc.
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
footballnounUS /ˈfʊtbɔːl/
any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
-ing form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading “John Logan Hall?” asked Tom then, glancing up.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
HardwarenounUS /ˈhɑːrdwer/
major items of military weaponry (as tanks or missile)
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
staying power
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
LogannounUS /ˈloʊɡən/
a mountain peak in the St. Elias Range in the southwestern Yukon Territory in Canada (19,850 feet high)
From this reading “John Logan Hall?” asked Tom then, glancing up.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
a form of address for a man
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
PANAMAnounUS /ˈpænəmɑː/
a republic on the Isthmus of Panama; achieved independence from Colombia in 1903
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
PollocknounUS /ˈpɑːlək/
United States artist famous for painting with a drip technique; a leader of abstract expressionism in America (1912-1956)
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
Sam'snounUS /sæmz/
possessive form of “sam” — a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
signedadjectiveUS /saɪnd/
having a handwritten signature
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
suppliesnounUS /səˈplaɪz/
plural of “supply” — an amount of something available for use
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
swingingnounUS /ˈswɪŋɪŋ/
changing location by moving back and forth
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading “John Logan Hall?” asked Tom then, glancing up.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
male cat
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “John Logan Hall?” asked Tom then, glancing up.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a little before nine o’clock on the morning following Sam’s return to Amesville, and the store was empty of customers.
WrightnounUS /raɪt/
United States writer of detective novels (1888-1939)
From this reading Tom signed “Cummings and Wright Hardware Co., T. Pollock,” blotted the sheet, and pulled an envelope toward him.
Wright'snounUS /raɪts/
possessive form of “wright” — United States writer of detective novels (1888-1939)
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
the act of creating written works
From this reading Sam, swinging his legs from the counter at Cummings and Wright’s, had to wait a full minute for an answer, for Tom Pollock finished writing an order for football supplies before he raised his head.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading THE MAN IN THE PANAMA “Tom, do you know Mr. John Hall?”
