used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
anew
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
(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 It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
Billy'snounUS /ˈbɪliz/
possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
a youthful male person
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
a young person of either sex
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
CRICKET'SnounUS /ˈkrɪkəts/
possessive form of “cricket” — leaping insect; male makes chirping noises by rubbing the forewings together
From this reading CRICKET'S DISCOVERY.
the act of discovering something
From this reading CRICKET'S DISCOVERY.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading It was a story with a moral, and was drawn from Billy's own experience.
dropsnounUS /drɑːps/
plural of “drop” — a shape that is spherical and small
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading It was a story with a moral, and was drawn from Billy's own experience.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a story with a moral, and was drawn from Billy's own experience.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
limitedadjectiveUS /ˈlɪmətəd/
small in range or scope
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
moraladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrəl/
concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles
From this reading It was a story with a moral, and was drawn from Billy's own experience.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading It was a story with a moral, and was drawn from Billy's own experience.
pep'mint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
express in words
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
and nothing more
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
sister'snounUS /ˈsɪstərz/
possessive form of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
express in words
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
twinsnounUS /twɪnz/
(mineralogy) two interwoven crystals that are mirror images on each other
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
at the time that
From this reading Perhaps I should say telling _a_ story, for Billy's range was limited to a single tale, and when he had told this, if any child wanted more, he simply had to tell it over again.
which person or people
From this reading It was about a bad little boy, who ate up all his sister's pep'mint drops.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a story with a moral, and was drawn from Billy's own experience.
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 Old Billy sat in the front yard, under a big tree, telling stories to the twins.
