2
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Lantern hangs in center of tent, and another [L.] at entrance to circus tent.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Lantern hangs in center of tent, and another [L.] at entrance to circus tent.
completely unclothed
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
blanketsnounUS /ˈblæŋkəts/
plural of “blanket” — bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
From this reading Pile of old blankets in one corner.
boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/
(used in the plural) the stage of a theater
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
boxesnounUS /ˈbɑːksəz/
plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
CANVASnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
centernounUS /ˈsɛn.tər/
The middle point or core of an area.
From this reading Lantern hangs in center of tent, and another [L.] at entrance to circus tent.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
CircusnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəs/
a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Pile of old blankets in one corner.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading [R.], another exit, leading out of doors.
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading Lantern hangs in center of tent, and another [L.] at entrance to circus tent.
etc
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
exitnounUS /ˈeɡzɪt/
an opening that permits escape or release
From this reading [R.], another exit, leading out of doors.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
hangsnounUS /hæŋz/
plural of “hang” — a special way of doing something
From this reading Lantern hangs in center of tent, and another [L.] at entrance to circus tent.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Pile of old blankets in one corner.
a metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water under standard conditions; now equal to 1,000 cubic centimeters (or approximately 1.75 pints)
From this reading Lantern hangs in center of tent, and another [L.] at entrance to circus tent.
LanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading Lantern hangs in center of tent, and another [L.] at entrance to circus tent.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading [R.], another exit, leading out of doors.
litternounUS /ˈlɪtər/
the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
mess-table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
mess-tent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
not any; not one
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Pile of old blankets in one corner.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Pile of old blankets in one corner.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading [R.], another exit, leading out of doors.
a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
Pepper'snounUS /ˈpepərz/
possessive form of “pepper” — climber having dark red berries (peppercorns) when fully ripe; southern India and Sri Lanka; naturalized in northern Burma and Assam
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
PerennialadjectiveUS /pərˈeniəl/
lasting three seasons or more
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
performancenounUS /pərˈfɔːrməns/
a dramatic or musical entertainment
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading Pile of old blankets in one corner.
postersnounUS /ˈpoʊstərz/
plural of “poster” — a sign posted in a public place as an advertisement
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air
From this reading [R.], another exit, leading out of doors.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
seatsnounUS /siːts/
an area that includes places where several people can sit
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
seventeenadjectiveUS /ˈsevənˈtiːn/
being one more than sixteen
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
stoolsnounUS /stuːlz/
plural of “stool” — a simple seat without a back or arms
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
trestles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
precisely as stated
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
in the company of; together with
From this reading ACT I TIME: _Ten o'clock on Christmas Eve._ SCENE: _The mess-tent of Pepper's Perennial Circus, very bare and shabby, with circus litter about; signs, "No Smoking," "Next performance, 2 P.M.," posters, etc., on the tent walls; a rough mess-table of boards and trestles, with boxes, stools, two broken chairs, etc., for seats.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading A CANVAS CHRISTMAS Written for a club of boys from twelve to seventeen.
