used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
how long something has existed
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
for the reason that
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
the time when something begins (especially life)
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
a youthful male person
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
ceremoniesnounUS /ˈserəmoʊniz/
plural of “ceremony” — a formal event performed on a special occasion
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
chipnounUS /tʃɪp/
a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading The chip was perhaps five inches square, and over it crawled a slug, a slimy, repulsive, helpless creature of the earth.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The chip was perhaps five inches square, and over it crawled a slug, a slimy, repulsive, helpless creature of the earth.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
being one more than ten
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
opinion or judgment
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The chip was perhaps five inches square, and over it crawled a slug, a slimy, repulsive, helpless creature of the earth.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading The chip was perhaps five inches square, and over it crawled a slug, a slimy, repulsive, helpless creature of the earth.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The chip was perhaps five inches square, and over it crawled a slug, a slimy, repulsive, helpless creature of the earth.
by chance
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
rainsnounUS /reɪnz/
plural of “rain” — water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
rangingadjectiveUS /ˈreɪndʒɪŋ/
wandering freely
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
repulsiveadjectiveUS /riˈpʌlsɪv/
offensive to the mind
From this reading The chip was perhaps five inches square, and over it crawled a slug, a slimy, repulsive, helpless creature of the earth.
season'snounUS /ˈsiːzənz/
possessive form of “season” — a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
slimyadjectiveUS /ˈslaɪmi/
covered with or resembling slime
From this reading The chip was perhaps five inches square, and over it crawled a slug, a slimy, repulsive, helpless creature of the earth.
slugnounUS /slʌɡ/
a projectile that is fired from a gun
From this reading The chip was perhaps five inches square, and over it crawled a slug, a slimy, repulsive, helpless creature of the earth.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
the season of growth
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
make square
From this reading The chip was perhaps five inches square, and over it crawled a slug, a slimy, repulsive, helpless creature of the earth.
squatted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
swampverbUS /swɑːmp/
drench or submerge or be drenched or submerged
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
veritableadjectiveUS /ˈverɪtəbəl/
often used as intensifiers
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
warmthnounUS /wɔːrmθ/
the sensation caused by heat energy
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was spring, and the new warmth of the season’s birth was in the air.
weed-rank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading One boy was master of ceremonies, and the eager eyes of his companions were fixed on a chip of wood that he held in his hand, four inches above the ground.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The lot was a vacant one, and perhaps would remain so for many years to come, because it was low, and the spring rains had made of it a veritable swamp.
a late time of life
From this reading FOUR boys, ranging from eleven to fifteen years of age, squatted close to earth in a wet, weed-rank city lot.
