used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
a proposal for an appropriate course of action
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
past form of “attract” — direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
BarrenadjectiveUS /ˈbærən/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But it was so beautiful with so much snow; it was so free and jolly to be out.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading But it was so beautiful with so much snow; it was so free and jolly to be out.
call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
the two together, not just one
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it was so beautiful with so much snow; it was so free and jolly to be out.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
disheartenedadjectiveUS /dɪsˈhɑːrtənd/
made less hopeful or enthusiastic
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading But it was so beautiful with so much snow; it was so free and jolly to be out.
made afraid
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
householdsnounUS /ˈhaʊshoʊldz/
plural of “household” — a social unit living together
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
jollyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɑːli/
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading But it was so beautiful with so much snow; it was so free and jolly to be out.
Ladd-Pelle's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
longinglyadverbUS /ˈlɔːŋɪŋli/
in a yearning manner
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
MoorverbUS /mʊr/
secure in or as if in a berth or dock
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading But it was so beautiful with so much snow; it was so free and jolly to be out.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
being or feeling set or kept apart from others
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading But it was so beautiful with so much snow; it was so free and jolly to be out.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But it was so beautiful with so much snow; it was so free and jolly to be out.
SpectaclenounUS /ˈspektəkəl/
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
starvingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrvɪŋ/
suffering from lack of food
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading SEPARATED The little group of children passing through the mountain village attracted little attention.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The Barren Moor children followed Ladd-Pelle’s advice and took their way along the river.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At first they were both frightened and disheartened, and talked longingly about the Spectacle Man.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading It was altogether too common a sight in those hard times to see whole starving households set out to beg for food.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But it was so beautiful with so much snow; it was so free and jolly to be out.
