used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
(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 From an early hour upon court day, all was excitement, noise and confusion in and around the county-seat.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
a quantity of money
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading From an early hour upon court day, all was excitement, noise and confusion in and around the county-seat.
assembledverbUS /əˈsembəld/
past form of “assemble” — create by putting components or members together
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
bleating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
bywaysnounUS /ˈbaɪweɪz/
plural of “byway” — a side road little traveled (as in the countryside)
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
characteristicsnounUS /ˌkerəktərˈɪstɪks/
plural of “characteristic” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
combineverbUS /ˈkɑːmbaɪn/
have or possess in combination
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
commonwealthnounUS /ˈkɑːmənwelθ/
the official name of some states in the United States (Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and Virginia and Kentucky) and associated territories (Puerto Rico)
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading From an early hour upon court day, all was excitement, noise and confusion in and around the county-seat.
(United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
county-seat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
crowdsnounUS /kraʊdz/
plural of “crowd” — a large number of things or people considered together
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
discordantadjectiveUS /dɪˈskɔːrdənt/
not in agreement or harmony
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
drovesnounUS /droʊvz/
plural of “drove” — a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading From an early hour upon court day, all was excitement, noise and confusion in and around the county-seat.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
featurenounUS /ˈfiːtʃər/
a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From an early hour upon court day, all was excitement, noise and confusion in and around the county-seat.
gatheringsnounUS /ˈɡæðərɪŋz/
plural of “gathering” — a group of persons together in one place
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading From an early hour upon court day, all was excitement, noise and confusion in and around the county-seat.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
hustingsnounUS /ˈhʌstɪŋz/
the activities involved in political campaigning (especially speech making)
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
of great significance or value
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading From an early hour upon court day, all was excitement, noise and confusion in and around the county-seat.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
JudgingnounUS /ˈdʒʌdʒɪŋ/
the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
legaladjectiveUS /ˈliːɡəl/
established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
litigationnounUS /ˌlɪtəˈɡeɪʃən/
a legal proceeding in a court; a judicial contest to determine and enforce legal rights
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
lotsnounUS /lɑːts/
a large number or amount
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
lowingverbUS /ˈloʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “low” — make a low noise, characteristic of bovines
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
most important element
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
market-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
MondaynounUS /ˈmʌndi/
the second day of the week; the first working day
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
musterverbUS /ˈmʌstər/
gather or bring together
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
absolutely essential
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading From an early hour upon court day, all was excitement, noise and confusion in and around the county-seat.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
many times at short intervals
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
old-timeadjective
attractively old-fashioned (but not necessarily authentic)
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
on one occasion
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
picnicnounUS /ˈpɪknɪk/
a day devoted to an outdoor social gathering
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
with low volume
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
a safe place
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
refusingverbUS /rəˈfjuːzɪŋ/
-ing form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
that is looked for
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
stableadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪbəl/
resistant to change of position or condition
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
statehood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
required or under orders
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
surprisingadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzɪŋ/
causing surprise or wonder or amazement
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
swinenounUS /swaɪn/
stout-bodied short-legged omnivorous animals
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
under normal conditions
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading COURT DAY The old-time county court, held once a month, usually on Monday, was an interesting feature of early statehood.
well-beingnounUS /ˌwelˈbiːɪŋ/
a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But legal business was often the least important feature of these gatherings, which seemed to combine the characteristics of picnic, county fair, muster day and old English hustings.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Judging by the crowds that always assembled at the county-seat upon court day, one would have supposed that if legal business were the main feature of the occasion, a surprising amount of litigation was necessary to the well-being of the commonwealth.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading The discordant bleating and lowing of sheep and cattle filled the air, and droves of swine, after the manner of their kind, refusing to be driven quietly to the market-place, wandered into byways, or sought refuge in stable lots and house yards.
