used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
(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 He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He put it off until next year, for then he was to begin going to school, just like his big brothers.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
bullnounUS /bʊl/
uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
consoledverbUS /kənˈsoʊld/
past form of “console” — give moral or emotional strength to
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
divisible by two
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
executionnounUS /ˌeksəˈkjuːʃən/
putting a condemned person to death
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
the act of departing
From this reading He put it off until next year, for then he was to begin going to school, just like his big brothers.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
hindrancenounUS /ˈhɪndrəns/
something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
hornsnounUS /hɔːrnz/
plural of “horn” — a noisemaker (as at parties or games) that makes a loud noise when you blow through it
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
and nothing more
From this reading He put it off until next year, for then he was to begin going to school, just like his big brothers.
cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
loweredadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərd/
below the surround or below the normal position
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
roused to anger
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
meadownounUS /ˈmedoʊ/
a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
absolutely essential
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading He put it off until next year, for then he was to begin going to school, just like his big brothers.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
on one occasion
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
give money, usually in exchange for goods or services
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
rovingnounUS /ˈroʊvɪŋ/
travelling about without any clear destination
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
an educational institution
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
seizeverbUS /siːz/
take hold of; grab
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
the season of growth
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
put, fix, force, or implant
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
successive (without a break)
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
carry out
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
up to a particular time
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading He put it off until next year, for then he was to begin going to school, just like his big brothers.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He put it off until next year, for then he was to begin going to school, just like his big brothers.
at the time that
From this reading He put it off till spring, but when spring came he did not find the necessary courage; he put it off till summer, but even then all sorts of hindrance came between plan and execution.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
a Caucasian
From this reading At this time he made the plan to pay a visit to the White House quite on his own account.
which person or people
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Once he had seen a big dog roving alone in the meadow--who could know whether it might not be a mad one? and at another time a bull had made straight for him with his horns lowered.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading He put it off until next year, for then he was to begin going to school, just like his big brothers.
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes; when I am big like my brothers,” he consoled himself by thinking, “and when I go to school, then I’ll take a stick and kill the mad dog, and the bull I’ll seize by the horns so that he cannot harm me any more.”
