used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
astoundedadjectiveUS /əˈstaʊndɪd/
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
completely unclothed
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
Bert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Come over here, Bert.”
biggestadjectiveUS /ˈbɪɡəst/
superlative of “big” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
the two together, not just one
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
boxing-gloves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
a youthful male person
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
BridgeportnounUS /ˈbrɪdʒpɔːrt/
a port in southwestern Connecticut on Long Island Sound
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
bullynounUS /ˈbʊli/
a cruel and brutal fellow
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Come over here, Bert.”
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
a Spanish gentleman or nobleman
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
move gently or carefully
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
one or the other of two
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
at any time
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
Fisher'snounUS /ˈfɪʃərz/
possessive form of “fisher” — someone whose occupation is catching fish
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
fistsnounUS /fɪsts/
plural of “fist” — a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
flooredadjectiveUS /flɔːrd/
provided with a floor
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/
plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Come over here, Bert.”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
an opening into or through something
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
humornounUS /ˈhjuːmər/
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
JacksonnounUS /ˈdʒæksən/
English film actress who later became a member of British Parliament (born in 1936)
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
and nothing more
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
immediately past
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
magicaladjectiveUS /ˈmædʒɪkəl/
possessing or using or characteristic of or appropriate to supernatural powers
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
engage in
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
mouthsnounUS /maʊðz/
plural of “mouth” — the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
not any; not one
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
on one occasion
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Come over here, Bert.”
pitchnounUS /pɪtʃ/
the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
protestnounUS /ˈproʊtest/
a formal and solemn declaration of objection
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
ReleaseverbUS /riˈliːs/
release, as from one's grip
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
express in words
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
scatteringnounUS /ˈskætərɪŋ/
a small number (of something) dispersed haphazardly
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
an educational institution
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
be standing; be upright
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
surrenderedverbUS /sərˈendərd/
past form of “surrender” — give up or agree to forgo to the power or possession of another
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
carry out
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
which person or people
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The magical manner in which Don had floored the biggest bully in school, before whom no boy in Bridgeport had ever been able to stand for a minute, either with boxing-gloves or bare fists, and the ease with which he had done it, astounded them.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading He stepped up and took the prisoner by the arm, and his four guards surrendered him without a word of protest.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Release them both and do it at once, or I will pitch the last one of you into that hole before you can say ‘General Jackson’ with your mouths open.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Take your hands off those boys,” said Don, who was in just the right humor to make a scattering among Fisher’s crowd of friends.
